I am a fan of Belle & Sebastian. The Screaming Trees were one of my favorite groups of all time. Mark Lanegan's solo material has been hit or miss... but more hits than misses. So when I read that Isobel Campbell was teaming up with Mark Lanegan to record an album I was excited. Two amazing voices that could possibly mesh to make a perfect record. Wrong.Oh, the reviews have been pretty good. Pitchfork said good things. Allmusic said good things. So how could I not go out and purchase "Ballad of the Broken Seas." It is certain to be the record of the year. Wrong.
This is the most disappointing long player of the year. Not the worst album of the year, just the most disappointing. (If I were to start writing about worst records of the year I'd have to start somewhere around the Killer's huge crap sandwich called "Sam's Town.") "Ballad of the Broken Seas" is soooooooo boring. I understand it is a collection of mellow material (I like Low and the Dirty Three). But this album goes no where. It just runs on and on and on.
So if you are in the mood to go out and purchase one record this month... please make sure it is not Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan's "Ballad of the Broken Seas" on V2.
